


A Good Brother

by Sindefara



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:10:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7815436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sindefara/pseuds/Sindefara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caranthir, the nicest brother and family banker ever.</p>
<p>This was written for tolkiensecretartexchange on Christmas 2015 on the prompt by melkorslegacy:<br/>Caranthir (Maybe something about Moryo being a good brother?)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Brother

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Melkorslegacy - lostinangband (lostinangband)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Melkorslegacy+-+lostinangband+%28lostinangband%29).



> English is not my native language, so all corrections and suggestions are very welcome!

\- Does it really have to cost so much? - asked Caranthir.  
\- But Moryo, it's a complete handbook of poetic theory! - Maglor exclaimed. - Here you’ll find all kinds of poetic meters, all types of stress. There is a rhyming dictionary and a glossary of rare and obsolete words...  
\- Excuse me, - sighed Caranthir, – why is this handbook worth five horses?  
\- Because this volume has a silver binding with pearl and onyx inlay, it’s all illuminated, it has golden initials and comes with a bookmark adorned with diamond crescents ...  
\- I do not understand why a _handbook_ must be inlaid with diamonds. - Caranthir lifted his hands in dismay. - I believe those Gondolindrim are completely out of touch with reality.  
\- But Moryo, please help me! Otherwise Daeron will buy it… - Maglor gave him a mournful look.  
\- Perhaps, Turgon can arrange for us a discount? - asked Caranthir rather miserably.  
\- Well, you know, all raw materials are really expensive. And why Turgon should put pressure on his loremasters, causing them to sell at loss?  
\- All right, I know you have spent a lot this year on arms and horses, - said Caranthir. - I'll get in touch with my commissioner in Gondolin and he will pay for the book.  
\- But I can do it myself, Moryo!  
\- No way, brother; if I let you, you’ll buy another twenty books in Gondolin, and you’ll be short of money for this one! 

When Caranthir heard the sound of hunting horns, the thud of hooves, and the rustle of falcon wings, and Celegorm appeared before the gates of his house, the younger brother felt a kind of relief: dogs and birds just cannot cost as much as the hapless book!  
\- Look, - Celegorm proudly displayed a sheet of paper with an image of a horse and a dog. Caranthir had an impression that the unhappy creatures were subject of some horrible test or a cruel torture, and that Celegorm was going to rescue the suffering animals. But looking closer, he saw that all these golden and silver ringlets, tendrils, swirls and nails were not instruments of torture, but a part of a monstrously extravagant harness.  
\- What is it? - asked Caranthir, almost guessing the answer.  
\- I’ve commissioned the dwarves to make this. It’s all my design. A complete set of harness for a horse and a dog. Sapphire stars, diamond dewdrops, amethyst flowers, and...  
\- Turko, in my opinion, it is too much. Are you sure your animals will survive this?  
\- It is made of special light alloy of gold and silver with admixture of galvorn. They weigh nothing at all. And diamonds are not that heavy ... By the way, the kit also includes a hunting horn.  
\- Turko, - said Caranthir, as he believed, firmly, - this is too much. I understand you want to be like Oromë; even our father did not object when you began to dye your hair golden, ride a white horse and stuff like that. But you _must_ stop somewhere.  
\- Why? - asked Celegorm.  
Caranthir could not come with an appropriate answer.  
\- Well, - said he after writing a short note, – take this to my steward, he will give you the required amount.  
\- That's not enough!  
\- Because I strike out the horn, you know.  
\- But why?  
\- Because if you make noise while riding alone with _this_ , you will be killed and robbed.  
\- I'm going to hunt in Nan Dungortheb, - stated Celegorm. - There is nobody there.  
\- In that case you’ll be killed and _eaten_ together with all those jewels. - Caranthir sighed. - Well, you’ll have your horn. Just promise not to go alone!  
\- All right, all right, - said Celegorm.

\- Gondolin, you see ... - began Curufin.  
The first word indeed freaked him out. In his head Caranthir started to count and add up the sums he was to spend now.  
\- Curvo, your son is an _adult_. If he wants to complete his education and learn from Gondolin craftsmen, it is not necessary to get him ready for school as if he were a boy of thirty.  
\- You mean he can go to Gondolin dressed like this?  
Celebrimbor looked away shyly. Caranthir believed that his nephew was quite well dressed: a scarlet silk shirt, a warm and thick crimson coat lined with wolf fur and embroidered with golden stars; new boots, a belt decorated with gold and, for good measure, he wore at least a dozen finger-rings.  
\- I think, yes, he may go dressed like that, - said Caranthir.  
\- Are you crazy, Moryo?! My son is the only grandson of Fëanor. Just imagine him appearing before Turgon in this coat! Look, there's a star missing on the sleeve. - Curufin grabbed Celebrimbor’s sleeve and showed it to Caranthir, jolting the timid young Elf’s hand as if it were a rag.  
\- As if you cannot make another one yourself, - grumbled Caranthir.  
\- It is not what I am talking about! - exclaimed Curufin. – This is quite different matter! Our family must not be regarded as…  
\- Oh, Curvo - Caranthir sighed, - you're so much like our father, that I am ready to quarrel with you for hours just to get the feeling again. But I will not. Your son also needs a horse, I guess? 

Amrod also often asked for money, but in this case it was Caranthir’s pleasure to give. Having lost his twin brother, Amrod decided that this should happen to no one else. He tried to make separated brothers and sisters to come together again, to return home children uprooted from their families, - buying out or freeing prisoners, helping them to run away from their tormentors or move to another place. His kindness extended to Men and dwarves as well. The only thing Caranthir did not like were the sad stories Amrod told him; he often had sleepless nights remembering them.  
\- Pityo, I’ll give you anything, just please do not tell me...  
\- No, - interrupted him Amrod blushingly, - this time I have the means, just ... do you have any ornaments?  
\- You mean - jewelry? For your cloak? Or hair, or…  
\- No, Moryo, not for me, it’s for a girl ... a lady…  
\- For a girl? - Caranthir was indeed amazed.  
\- No, just do not get any ideas… It’s the daughter of Orodreth. She has her begetting day next month. I'm not going to Nargothrond, of course, the family will not be very glad to see me, but I just wanted to send her something nice.  
\- Of course, I can find something for her; do you want me to send it?  
\- No, I want it to come from me, - said Amrod.  
Fortunately, Caranthir found in his treasury a set of beautiful silver bracelets he was able to give to Amrod. “It’s for a blonde, I’ll never need them anyway and I do not have anyone to give them to”, – so he consoled himself. 

\- I'm terribly tired, - said Maedhros, falling into a chair. - Can I get some sleep here?  
\- Of course, - said Caranthir. - Sleep where you want.  
\- By the way, I have to convey to you a gift from a Dwarf lord. It is in my travel bag. Just imagine, a Dwarfs’ convoy was attacked on the road - first orcs, then came a giant spider. Simply monstrous. I was so scared - even thought for a moment it was Ungolianth. They say she is long dead, however. In any case, we chased them out. The Dwarf lord promised to present me with an amazing helmet, but frankly, I do not care.  
\- You do not like to receive gifts? - Caranthir smiled.  
\- I do not even know. In fact, I personally do not need anything. To be honest, I do not know what I would like to get...  
The elder brother fell asleep in the chair before Caranthir could invite him to go to bed. Caranthir started to look through some papers; he tried to write something, but soon he perceived that the scratch of pen on the paper and the rustle may wake Maedhros, so he just sat quietly at the table. It was getting dark outside, but he did not light candles. He felt now like a little child, but this feeling of shyness and helplessness was not unpleasant: it was cozy, homelike, although a little sad.  
Maedhros woke up when the moon appeared on the clear night sky.  
\- Moryo, are you here?  
\- Yes, I am here.  
\- Forgive me, please, you are sitting there in the dark because of me! If you want, may I help you to cook something?  
\- I do, indeed; but will you excuse me if… If I still have something to give you?  
\- It depends on what it is. All right, I'm kidding - of course, give it to me, if you want.  
\- Come with me.  
They went into Caranthir’s treasury, and the younger brother lit the large crystal oil lamps.  
\- Close your eyes, - said Caranthir, and seated Maedhros on a high chair.  
At first Maedhros did not understand; then he opened his eyes and reached out to his head. Something warm and heavy lay on his shoulders. He looked around; a huge silver mirror was in front of him. Maedhros saw that his brother put on his head a golden crown - a crown of red gold, all winded, laced, and weaved - like a constellation of enormous snowflakes, studded with rubies; it heaved into the air above his head like a halo of fire; heavy garnet pendants were hanging along his cheeks. On his shoulders was a long scarlet robe, embroidered with unconceivable patterns of stars, birds, branches and flowers. Not a single element of the pattern was ever repeated: all the birds, animals, trees, plants were different; starting to look from one corner to another, Maedhros realized that this cloak was a huge symbolic map of Beleriand, showing animal and plant species representative for each location.  
\- Do you like it? - asked Caranthir nervously.  
\- It is so wonderful ... perfect… but why? Where did you get this?  
\- I made this crown myself; of course, I'm not such a great craftsman as Curufin, but I think it suits you. I asked an Avari who can do such things to embroider the cloak.  
\- Well, I cannot wear it ... it's not for me, Moryo.  
\- Nelyo, I just wanted to say ... you know, I have always been opposed to you refusing the crown. It was ridiculous. It’s unfair. _You_ are my king. Now and always. I would like you to get this crown – your crown – back from my hands. I am ready to do everything for this. You're my brother, my father, everything in the world.  
\- Come on, - Maedhros sighed. He took off the crown and laid it to Caranthir’s head. - And you're my favorite brother. Just do not tell anyone, okay? So are we cooking something or not? I'm very hungry.


End file.
